I would like to just start off by commenting on General Conference. What an inspiring and uplifting weekend it has been for me. I received answers too many of my questions, if not all of them. I am grateful I took this special opportunity to think of questions, write them down, and listen intently from the servants of the Lord for personal revelation. I wish General Conference would happen more often!
Among the many questions I had in my heart that I brought to General Conference was ''what more can I do to help more of our investigators stay on the gospel learning path?'' As I have said in weeks previous, many of our investigators, new and those starting to progress, have been dropping us and discontinuing meeting with us. The saddest part about it is that many of the people we have meet with are honest seekers of the truth and I believe the seed that has been planted has already started to grow within them and they have started to witness the truth of our message. This problem we have been experiencing was in the forefront of my mind and as we watched the Saturday evening session of General Conference, Heavenly Father answered my question through Elder Richard G. Scott. The main take away I received from this talk is that I need to have greater confidence and trust in my investigators that they will chose Jesus Christ and his true gospel. A line that sticks out in my mind (I paraphrase), was that ''everyone here on this earth has chosen Jesus Christ already. Have the confidence that they will choose Him again.'' I am excited to apply all of the things that I learned from General Conference to my mission and to my life.
During our website Wednesday hour, Sister Merrill and I stumbled upon this wonderful article about the church in Asia. Elder Holland and some other General Authorities and their wives visited parts of Asia where the church is and they observed the great growth and maturity of the church there. Here is a quote from that article:
''Concluding, Elder Holland reported that there is a hastening of the work in Asia.'We will live to see miracles there—as we see them now. Our children and our children’s children will be as comfortable talking about the Church in Asia as they have historically been talking about it in Utah and Idaho and Arizona.' ''
Miracles are already happening preparing the way for places like China to be ready to receive the gospel; Heavenly Father knows where His Chinese children are and He has sent missionaries to diverse places(i.e. England, Australia, Canada, Tonga, etc) to share the gospel with them. The one child policy has been lifted. Mormon.org is now legal in China and available for that population to view. I am sure the list goes on. Heavenly Father is very aware of all of His children. He will make sure everyone has the chance to learn and accept the gospel and make it back to His Kingdom. To read more about the article visit:
https://www.lds.org/church/news/the-church-is-wonderfully-well-in-asia-elder-holland-reports?lang=eng
Sister Merrill and I have been witnessing many miracles ourselves in our area. For instance, we were walking back home for lunch one day this girl came running after us to hand us back a pass along card that unknowingly fell out of one of our pockets. We had a nice conversation with her and invited her to come to the church building that was on the card. She accepted the invitation and we will be giving a tour later this week. This miracle is seemingly small but I know ''by small things are great things brought to past.''
With many of our scheduled lessons or tours falling through Heavenly Father has blessed us with others. He is putting the more prepared in our path. We recently meet this Chinese girl named Winnie. She is so golden! We met her on the street one night and she came for a tour that very moment. We asked her if she believes in God and she said she always has but just never had the opportunity to understand religion. A belief in God is the biggest hurdle that our Chinese investigators have to jump, and she has already jumped beyond it. She came to General Conference this weekend and she loved it. She will be in the states for the Easter holiday but she will be back in a week. She now has a copy of the Book of Mormon and she committed to read it while she was away. There is no doubt in my mind that she will be baptised soon :)
I feel like I say it all the time but I cannot say it enough-- Stephanie, our recent convert, is so brilliant and blessed! This week we witnessed again the great influence she continues to have on her family and friends and their learning of the gospel. Her mom is now in the process of meeting with the missionaries. Her best friend has asked for a copy of the Book of Mormon and asked for our number. Another one of her friends from primary school has been meeting with the Elders and is now dated for baptism. He said that he saw the great change this gospel has brought to Stephanie and he has seen how much more happy she is. He is ready to change his life and experience that same change :)
Wow. This work truly is a marvelous work and a wonder. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve my Savior and my Heavenly Father here in the England Manchester Mission. I feel more anxious to build the Lord's kingdom here on earth as the weeks go by. His work is hastening. It is beginning to fill the whole earth. I look forward the day where I get to live with my family in the Celestial Kingdom, where we will live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.
The success the Elders have seen here in the YSA is inspiring. I think each companionship has recently dated 2 people for baptism. One of those that are dated was a young man Sister Merrill and I taught and referred to the Elders when they whitewashed in. Once again, I feel blessed to be able to take part in the conversion of another child of God. We may not be teaching him ourselves, but we are excited for this young man's progress in the gospel.
I am grateful for my wonderful companion and her great example of faith, hope, charity and love. She cares so much about the people we teach and she knows from whom these people have been entrusted. I love seeing how excited she gets over the little tender mercies and miracles we see everyday.
Among the many questions I had in my heart that I brought to General Conference was ''what more can I do to help more of our investigators stay on the gospel learning path?'' As I have said in weeks previous, many of our investigators, new and those starting to progress, have been dropping us and discontinuing meeting with us. The saddest part about it is that many of the people we have meet with are honest seekers of the truth and I believe the seed that has been planted has already started to grow within them and they have started to witness the truth of our message. This problem we have been experiencing was in the forefront of my mind and as we watched the Saturday evening session of General Conference, Heavenly Father answered my question through Elder Richard G. Scott. The main take away I received from this talk is that I need to have greater confidence and trust in my investigators that they will chose Jesus Christ and his true gospel. A line that sticks out in my mind (I paraphrase), was that ''everyone here on this earth has chosen Jesus Christ already. Have the confidence that they will choose Him again.'' I am excited to apply all of the things that I learned from General Conference to my mission and to my life.
During our website Wednesday hour, Sister Merrill and I stumbled upon this wonderful article about the church in Asia. Elder Holland and some other General Authorities and their wives visited parts of Asia where the church is and they observed the great growth and maturity of the church there. Here is a quote from that article:
''Concluding, Elder Holland reported that there is a hastening of the work in Asia.'We will live to see miracles there—as we see them now. Our children and our children’s children will be as comfortable talking about the Church in Asia as they have historically been talking about it in Utah and Idaho and Arizona.' ''
Miracles are already happening preparing the way for places like China to be ready to receive the gospel; Heavenly Father knows where His Chinese children are and He has sent missionaries to diverse places(i.e. England, Australia, Canada, Tonga, etc) to share the gospel with them. The one child policy has been lifted. Mormon.org is now legal in China and available for that population to view. I am sure the list goes on. Heavenly Father is very aware of all of His children. He will make sure everyone has the chance to learn and accept the gospel and make it back to His Kingdom. To read more about the article visit:
https://www.lds.org/church/news/the-church-is-wonderfully-well-in-asia-elder-holland-reports?lang=eng
Sister Merrill and I have been witnessing many miracles ourselves in our area. For instance, we were walking back home for lunch one day this girl came running after us to hand us back a pass along card that unknowingly fell out of one of our pockets. We had a nice conversation with her and invited her to come to the church building that was on the card. She accepted the invitation and we will be giving a tour later this week. This miracle is seemingly small but I know ''by small things are great things brought to past.''
With many of our scheduled lessons or tours falling through Heavenly Father has blessed us with others. He is putting the more prepared in our path. We recently meet this Chinese girl named Winnie. She is so golden! We met her on the street one night and she came for a tour that very moment. We asked her if she believes in God and she said she always has but just never had the opportunity to understand religion. A belief in God is the biggest hurdle that our Chinese investigators have to jump, and she has already jumped beyond it. She came to General Conference this weekend and she loved it. She will be in the states for the Easter holiday but she will be back in a week. She now has a copy of the Book of Mormon and she committed to read it while she was away. There is no doubt in my mind that she will be baptised soon :)
I feel like I say it all the time but I cannot say it enough-- Stephanie, our recent convert, is so brilliant and blessed! This week we witnessed again the great influence she continues to have on her family and friends and their learning of the gospel. Her mom is now in the process of meeting with the missionaries. Her best friend has asked for a copy of the Book of Mormon and asked for our number. Another one of her friends from primary school has been meeting with the Elders and is now dated for baptism. He said that he saw the great change this gospel has brought to Stephanie and he has seen how much more happy she is. He is ready to change his life and experience that same change :)
Wow. This work truly is a marvelous work and a wonder. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve my Savior and my Heavenly Father here in the England Manchester Mission. I feel more anxious to build the Lord's kingdom here on earth as the weeks go by. His work is hastening. It is beginning to fill the whole earth. I look forward the day where I get to live with my family in the Celestial Kingdom, where we will live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.
The success the Elders have seen here in the YSA is inspiring. I think each companionship has recently dated 2 people for baptism. One of those that are dated was a young man Sister Merrill and I taught and referred to the Elders when they whitewashed in. Once again, I feel blessed to be able to take part in the conversion of another child of God. We may not be teaching him ourselves, but we are excited for this young man's progress in the gospel.
I am grateful for my wonderful companion and her great example of faith, hope, charity and love. She cares so much about the people we teach and she knows from whom these people have been entrusted. I love seeing how excited she gets over the little tender mercies and miracles we see everyday.
Hope you all enjoyed General Conference weekend as much as I did. We are so blessed to have a living prophets and apostles on the earth. May we all heed their counsel.
Love,
Sister Jordan.
Spring Photos :)
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